Labor Union

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Frequently Asked Questions...

Do you think we will ever see some type of labor union for wrestlers + BQ?

BQ: Do you think if wrestlers already had a labor union, that some of these young deaths would of never happened?

Like the work environment wrestlers had would be substantially better. They would have job security and health benefits. So say some of them wouldn't go down the path of drugs to help performance and could end up getting addicted to drugs that would cost them their life.

Being involved in a labor dispute right now (one of the major reasons I am semi-retired from Y!A) I can tell you for a solid fact that ALL promoters will do everything they can to prevent the wrestlers from ever becoming organized into a Union.

"Strength in numbers". Unless you are part of a Union you will never know how important that is. Our local's members unanimously chose not to accept the company's contract (the company refused to negotiate any terms of the contract and instead just gave us their "take it or leave it" new set of rules) which would have taken away our job security, seniority, and numerous other rights we have fought for the past several decades, including the right to take legal action against the company if and when they are in violation of existing Labor, Federal, and State laws.

The company, rather than continue to let us work under the existing contract, while negotiations are on-going, exercised THEIR right to "lock out" the Union workers and replace us with scabs. They are playing hardball and are adamant in forcing their new set of rules upon us, taking away our rights as American workers (it should be noted that the company is not American-owned). The fight continues...

In pro wrestling, the owners/promoters have ALL of the power. Period. Any wrestler can be fired at any time for any reason, and for no reason, and that includes the likes of Cena, Undertaker, Orton, Nash, AJ Styles, Kurt Angle, and even Triple H. They are paid what the promoter wants to pay them; they work when the promoter wants them to work; they don't work if the promoter doesn't want them to work. Promoters pay what percentage of medical/dental bills they choose to pay, none of them are required to pay anything, and that includes drug/alcohol rehab facilities.

Wrestlers are required to sign "exclusive" contracts (at least in the WWE and TNA) which explicitly states that they cannot work for competing promotions while employed by the promotion for which they are contracted. While these contracts do call for a specified amount of money to be paid to the wrestlers, it still limits their potential income. If the promotion doesn't use them, they draw only what the contract specifies (it's my understanding that most of the WWE and TNA wrestlers' income comes from merchandising and the "bonuses" that are paid depending where on the card you work, i.e. main events pay more than third match of the card), and cannot work for other promotions to supplement that.

Despite being forced to sign "exclusive" contracts the wrestlers still have no more rights than does any contractor you hire to rebuild your roof or build a patio for you. They do have the right to take legal action against the promoter, though.

Promoters will not ever willingly give up that power. A wrestler can be fired at any time and for any reason, with no recourse. He just packs up and moves on. The promoter holds all of the power as pertains to gimmicks, storylines, and pushes. Wrestlers can suggest ideas, but the promoter has all of the power and makes the decisions. A wrestler can refuse a gimmick or storyline that he/she feels is detrimental to his career and most of the time he/she will be fired for that. Why do you think we see so many bad gimmicks and storylines out there? Because most wrestlers know they'll be fired if they refuse to do them.

Promoters really are dictators with all of the power. Some are decent employers, most are not. It doesn't matter if there are 10 wrestlers on the roster or 200, they are still individuals dealing with the promoter one-on-one and the promoter has all of the power, for money and bookings, pushes and championships.

The only way wrestlers will ever become Unionized is to band together and take a stand against all promoters. Whether they join an existing Union (such as the Screen Actors Guild) or form a brand new one, is up to them. They will have to elect their leadership to represent them and they will have to decide amongst themselves (ALL wrestlers) what rules and guidelines they want the promoters to follow. Then they will have to negotiate with the promoters who will have their own rules and guidelines, and hammer out an agreement for which the wrestlers as a body will vote. And once that agreement is ratified it becomes the "contract" governing all promoters, all promotions, and all wrestlers (in the U.S. at least; other countries' promoters and wrestlers may not want to, and don't have to, be a part of this). It will specify pay scales, health benefits, pension plans (including 401k and IRA accounts), and various other things such as "safe working environment", handling of disputes, sick leave, etc.

In this age of big business, corporate mergers, and tyrannical corporate heads, it is even more important than ever that we don't overlook and forget about the "little guy", the one that's actually in the trenches, working his butt off, making those corporations their money.

Do I think a wrestlers' Union will ever happen?

No. The wrestlers are performers driven by ego and wanting the spotlight for themselves. Few of them really care about what happens to the "other guy". Pro wrestling, especially at the top levels (WWE and TNA) is a very cut-throat business and most of them will cut the "other guy's" legs off if it means a push for himself, especially into a championship which means more money and increased exposure.

Jesse Ventura tried to unionize the wrestlers long ago. He got some support until Vince fired him, then the other wrestlers wandered off, whistling to themselves, checking out the rose bushes outside the building. Jesse was willing and able to stand up to The Man and risk his job in order to help the boys as a whole. The boys weren't. Jesse got fired. The boys didn't. Vince made an example out of Jesse to discourage any future attempts at unionizing themselves.

WWE and TNA pay their main eventers an enormous amount of money. The rest of them don't get paid nearly as much. So there is intense competition for those main events. Just a year or two as a main eventer CAN set a person financially for life. Along with other perks, such as Vince paying for medical treatments to get his main eventer back on TV making him money. Basically, being a mainstream main eventer is just too attractive. I think most of them would rather take their chances on grabbing that brass ring and the truckloads of money and fame it brings, than "settle" for much less money but guaranteed health benefits, etc. And most of them are scared of crossing the promoters. I can tell you from experience that it's definitely not easy to stand up to The Man when that The Man signs your paychecks.

BQ: Absolutely no doubt in my mind, hell yes! Again speaking from experience, being Unionized has made my work-life much safer than it would have been without it. With each contract our plant has become safer and safer, with fewer injuries (especially serious ones) and deaths. "Strength in numbers". The company has to follow rules and regulations and we can refuse any job we feel is unsafe pending an investigation (from Union and company officials) to correct the part(s) we felt was unsafe. The company has a strict drug policy, and the Union cooperates 100% with it.

With a wrestlers Union everybody would have been working toward the same goal: entertaining the fans and going home in one piece.

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